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"EPA Rule to Limit Fish Kills at Plants Delayed Until May"

"The Environmental Protection Agency said it will delay for a month issuing a rule to shield fish from being killed when electric utilities and factories use water for cooling machinery.

The agency will sign the rule by May 16, according to a statement yesterday. Today was the EPA’s deadline.

“EPA requires the additional time to complete inter-agency consultations with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to the Endangered Species Act,” the EPA said.

Operators of large coal or nuclear plants, such as Entergy Corp. (ETR) and Duke Energy (DUK) Corp., have urged the EPA to reject pleas from environmental groups to tighten a 2011 proposal and permit flexibility in applying those rules. The regulation covers about 1,200 plants, more than half generating electricity."